Restoring from icloud doesn't restore all apps

A problem with your number 3 is that is not always possible. Especially with small start ups developing an app, they can literally go from active to lights out over a weekend or a day. And if purchased by another company, who then wishes to cease distribution, Apple cannot on its own continue to sell it. A developer owns their intellectual property, and Apple can not dictate such things to them. They can yank their code from the App store when they wish to, not when Apple decides.

If Apple or any online software distributor begins to dictate too many restrictive terms, they’ll just drive away developers and limit innovation. They also get into legal limitations of what they can demand since they do not own developers code, and developers are not Apple employees. If Apple insisted on restrictive app requirements that unduly discouraged small or private party apps, they could be sued over enforcing unfair practices for access to the App Store that keep small developer company’s or individuals out.

Remember, one of the features of the App Store is that anybody, from mega-software company’s like Microsoft, to a kid at home in their room can develop an app and distribute it in the App Store. So the requirements on app submission are never going to include much of a list of specific required features, style or even functions. And Apple does not want to be responsible for any of the functionality of third party apps - their terms of use specifically exclude them from that responsibility, which in turn means they cannot start dictating terms to developers like file formats, save or export functions, etc.

See https://developer.apple.com/terms/ and Legal - Apple Media Services - Apple

section g of the latter includes:

“An App licensed by Apple is an “Apple App;” an App licensed by an App Provider is a “Third Party App.” Apple acts as an agent for App Providers in providing the App Store and is not a party to the sales contract or user agreement between you and the App Provider. Any App that you acquire is governed by the Licensed Application End User License Agreement (“Standard EULA”) set forth below, unless Apple or the App Provider provides an overriding custom license agreement (“Custom EULA”). The App Provider of any Third Party App is solely responsible for its content, warranties, and claims that you may have related to the Third Party App.“

I know I'm coming late to this chat but the fact that I also use some apps, scatterbrain included, that has no backup in icloud, no simple way to "export all" is a big reason I was hanging on to my iPhone5. Didn't want to take the time Togo through the 3rd party apps whose users apple happily ignores.

So in response to "

Secondly, does nobody else care that multiple users lost an app that they relied on without any notification?"..

I say that's right!

The important thing here is that apple is ultimately responsible for the users experience with App Store apps. Apple can easily institute 3 minimum requirements:

1) all data inside 3rd party apps MUST be backupable in a readily retrievable manner, regardless of what happens to the 3rd app developer (proprietary format to the 3rd party is fine so long as the 3rd party is alive, but freely descrambleable if the company passes on)

2) all apps must allow the user to export their content in some industry standard format - word, excel/csv etc. any time the users wish.

3) there should be a standard notification period, ex. 30

Days, to anyone who's downloaded an app, that the app is being discontinued.

Thoughts anyone?

Talik13 wrote:

Fair enough, but it's only illegal if you've actually tampered the code or installed it.

And there aren't any actual legal actions that can be taken if the developers don't support or distribute the app any more. Especially a free one without ad revenue.

Furthermore, what else would they expect to happen when something people relied on are discontinued without notice? Everyone here is so quick to say "oh too bad for you" instead of giving any actual advice.

Actually, neither of your first statements are true. Your limited use software license from the Apple store precludes you from giving the app to anyone, for any reason or under any curcumstances, period. The license is non transferable. There are no qualifiers about code or installation.

And yes there are legal recourse for whomever owns the intellectual property. Not likely, I agree, if the company is defunct or gone. But the intellectual property is still owned by whomever developed or whomever purchased the rights to it. Technically, they can sue you over license violations even if no longer developing or selling licenses for the software. It is still their property, not yours.

If the app is no longer available, my understanding is no. I could be wrong, but I believe iCloud backs up data and configurations, but pulls the app from the app store when restoring.

The other possibility is that you didn't have that particular app set for back up.

If you do not have the app backup locally on iTunes and it's not available anymore in App Store then it's gone.

A Backup does not include the app installers. The backup only includes data associated with the app, but re-installs the app either from the App Store, or with an iTunes restore from backup using installers saved on your local computers iTunes library. If an app is no longer in the store, and you did not keep the downloaded installers on your computer's hard drive in iTunes, then it cannot be re-installed.

Connect iPhone to computer iTunes and select and sync that app to your iPhone.

dbauman wrote:

That blows.

I do have a copy of the app .ipa file on my computer. Is there a way I scan restore just that app on my phone?

Yes. Connect the phone to iTunes, click on its icon in iTunes, then click "Apps" in the left column. Find the app in the list on the right and click "Install"

Doesn't look like that company has been active for quite a while: https://www.facebook.com/ScatterBrainApp

Might be time to find an alternative.

Hey guys, I know it's been quite a while, but does anyone still have the .ipa file?

I could really use it to hopefully get my notes back and back them up.

Even if they did, you would not be able to used it. It's permanently locked to the Apple ID that was used to purchase it.

First off, educate yourself;

There's a difference between "unlocking" and "j-breaking"

Secondly, does nobody else care that multiple users lost an app that they relied on without any notification? The argument of "if you are a responsible user you'd have them all backed up to your computer" is asinine ever since the advent of cloud backup. The point of a backup is that it'll be there for you when you need it, regardless of whether it's stored on a cloud or at home on a personal disk. The company hosting the cloud becomes responsible for that user's data, which is why we pay for it.

Did dbauman ever get his app working again?

<Link Edited by Host>

First off, educate yourself. Tim was not talking about unlocking a phone. It was about unlocking an APP. Which is still illegal. It's called "stealing" or "piracy."